Week Beginning Sunday 8th March 2026

WHAT’S ON

SUNDAY 
Morning worship : Ascension : 12nn (prayer @ 11:15)
Evening worship : Evelyn Community Centre : 6pm 
(meal + worship, food prep @ 4pm)

MONDAY
Bear cubs : Leander Centre : 9:30-11:30am
Lent prayer : Zoom : 8pm

TUESDAY
Women's Bible Study : The Albany : 1:30pm

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY
Bear cubs : outdoor play / Leander centre : 10-11:30am / 1-3pm

FRIDAY
Bear cubs : Leander centre : 9:30-11:30am

SATURDAY

THROUGH-OUT THE WEEK
Early morning prayer : zoom : 7am Mon-Fri 

COMING UP
Mothering Sunday 15 March : The Bear : 10:30am

 

IN OUR COMMUNITY

Lent at The Bear

CORRECTION: This week we are in the third week of Lent, and so will be reflecting on the third part of our verse of the year, John 14:27: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 

WEEK THREE: I do not give to you as the world gives.

Each week you are invited to join our Lent practise of prayer and fasting from Sunday 9pm to Monday 9pm. Each Monday evening we will gather, either in person or online, to pray and break our fasts together. 

This week we will meet on Monday on zoom, 8-8:40pm. 

Coming Home for Mothering Sunday

Reminder that our service on March 15 will be at 10:30am at The Bear building to christen our new kitchen. We'll serve bacon butties & veggie alternatives for breakfast together before the service made in our brand-new kitchen. So come along!

And a big thank you to those who have already bought things off our Wishbob wish list. We are still in need of a few items to complete the kitchen, so please take a look and if you would like to contribute something we ask that you bring them along to Mothering Sunday to help find its home. After all, this kitchen is all of ours.

Abundance art exhibition

This Easter, The Bear is inviting artists from our community to consider how they could bring life to our new building. We want it to be a welcoming & inviting place and are calling for A4/A3 wall-mounted art that speak to the theme of ABUNDANCE. They will be hung in the Parlour, the room in front of the kitchen, for potentially up to six months. Works would need to be available from the 19th of April for a private view on Thursday 23rd April. If you would like more information or to apply, please email info@thebear.tv.

CLASSIFIEDS

Meal Train Incoming : We want to bless the Joneses following the recent death of Iain's dad. They have fed many of us over the years, so now it's time to return the favour!

Performance at The Bear : IRIE! Dance Theatre, BA Diverse Dance Styles students will be performing their site-specific dance pieces inspired by the Deptford Ragged School at The Bear, Frankham Street, Wednesday 25th March at 2.30pm and 6.30pm. Free Entry. Speak to Katharine A for more info, or to volunteer to welcome guests at either performance.

Bear Cubs is expanding : After Easter, Emily and Kelly will be supporting St Luke’s Holloway in launching a new weekly Play session on Wednesday mornings 10am-12pm. We’re excited about this opportunity to share what we do and to serve another community.

Together Alliance march : Together Alliance is a large and diverse coalition of organisations who are taking a stand against the rise of the far right with a message of love, hope, and unity.

The Alliance are organising a gathering of over 100,000 people on the 28th of March in London. This event is designed to be safe, joyful, and family friendly. If you would like to be a part of the Christian bloc, you can sign up here and also send an email to info@thebear.tv so we can gather a group together. There will also be a service hosted by Better Story before the march at Oasis Waterloo at 10:30am. 

New Cross and Deptford Free Film Festival : This year The Bear will be screening the Oscar winning Latvian environmentalist animation 'Flow' (U). That sounds like a lot, but it really is the most beautiful film! The screening will be on Saturday 25 April at 4pm in The Bear. More details from nxdfilmfest@gmail.com or tessa@thebear.tv.

Quiet Revival symposium : on March 21st Westminster College is hosting "Quiet Revival: Myth, memory or movement?", an in-person and online event to deep dive with social scientists, researchers and church practitioners into this recent phenomenon. For more information and to book, check out the event link here.

iNet Curry Plus event : on Tuesday 24th March iNet will host their annual Curry Plus event, this year focusing on cross-cultural workers in Africa. For more details, please see flyer attached.  

Stories for Restorative Practise & Process : A day-long course on Thursday 26th March at St Ethelberga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace for anyone working in reparative or community settings, especially those engaged in restorative practice and mediation, to explore creative ways in which sharing simple traditional stories can support:
· Self-reflection and self-tending
· Having difficult conversations
· Finding compassion and understanding across divides
For more information, visit here.

‘Healing from Conflict’ conference : A joint conference of Fellowship of Reconciliation UK, Anglican Pacifist Fellowship, Pax Christi UK, Christian International Peace Service (CHIPS) and Church and Peace. This conference runs over the 24-26 April 2026 and invites speakers and participants to explore this vital question together. Over a weekend of learning, reflection, and connection, we will consider how genuine healing can pave the way for communities to flourish in peace, justice, and hope. You can find out more information here.

 

ESSENTIAL RECOMMENDS…
🙈 to see : Tea vs. Coffee from The Travelling Professor 
🙉 to hear : Woman's Hour March 4 episode : Matrescence, Mexico's 'searching mothers', New novel The Night Nag
🙊 to read :  Desert Wisdom by Thomas Merton (recommended by Owen)